


Life in the Tower

by ReginaNocis



Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Avengers AU, Avengers Tower, BAMF Darcy Lewis, Endgame? What Endgame?, Fix-It, Multi, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Scientist Wrangler Darcy Lewis
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-15
Updated: 2019-06-15
Packaged: 2020-05-12 09:53:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19226755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReginaNocis/pseuds/ReginaNocis
Summary: An invitation was sent, and the Avengers answered the call. They all had their own issues, and having a group of dysfunctional superheroes move in together creates brand new issues to add to those. Pepper had warned Tony many times over, but he does what he wants.(Because I can't stand what they did with the movies, I'm going to keep writing the way I always have. So, have a beautiful story about the Avengers living in their tower, with appearances by all the best characters.)





	Life in the Tower

**Author's Note:**

> I originally posted this on my tumblr (https://www.tumblr.com/blog/writingmytruthasitis), but decided that it's good enough to share here. I hope you all enjoy my major denial!

The first week was the hardest. They all had their own issues, and having a group of dysfunctional superheroes move in together creates brand new issues to add to those. Pepper had warned Tony many times over, but he does what he wants.

Clint moves into the tower first, followed only hours later by Natasha. And with Clint came Bruce, though only because he was the one he’d trusted with his tranquilizers. (It also helped that Tony had been harassing him with photos of his lab space and projects that needed him.)

Thor showed up with his “Lady Jane” a week later, and she joined Tony and Bruce in the labs. Jane had brought her assistant with her, and Darcy spent as many hours down there as they did. Pepper learned quickly that the scientists _needed_ Darcy. She brought much needed sanity, along with the ability to make them eat and sleep normally. Pepper quickly added her to the Stark Industries payroll.

Darcy was the first to realize that there was an Avenger missing. When she brought it to Bruce’s attention, all he could do was shrug. “All I know is that he and Tony didn’t get along. Though I’m surprised that Ms. Potts hasn’t stepped in and forced an invitation out of Tony.”

“I’m going to take this moment to point out that if all of us who live here, you’re the only one who was invited. The rest of us just showed up,” Darcy argued.

“Does he even know we’re here? He’s not exactly in contact with us,” Bruce replied. “If it bothers you, send him the invitation yourself. I’ve seen you sign Tony’s name before.”

“Not that you can prove. Stark has horrible handwriting. It’s not hard to copy,” Darcy muttered. The idea stuck with her, though. In the end, she chose to send him a letter using Stark Industries stationary.

_Rogers,_

_I’ve taken the liberty of getting the gang back together. We weren’t exactly great at the teamwork aspect, and I’ve been told that living together might improve that by a very reliable source. The others have all accepted and begun the process of moving into the tower. Pack your bags and come on over, Soldier._

_Anthony Edward Stark_

The letter was hand-delivered by a courier that Pepper recommended, and Steve showed up with his bags three days later. Thankfully, Darcy was alerted before Tony was. She met him in the lobby and helped him move into his apartment before Tony knew he’d even stepped foot into the tower. (Natasha pulled her aside hours later to compliment her sneaking technique and offer pointers. It was the best- and scariest- part of her time at the tower so far.)

Everything came to a head at dinner that night. Tension was high as Tony entered the communal kitchen and leaned against the counter. He seemed content to stare until someone started the conversation. Unfortunately, Steve was that person.

“Look, Tony, I want to thank you for including me in this. I know we started off pretty bad, and I’m hoping we can use this time to start over and make things right,” he said quietly, stopping in front of Tony and holding his hand out. Tony just stared down at his hand until he dropped it awkwardly.

“You lost me, Capsicle. I’m not really upset that you’re here, but I’m as surprised as everyone else that you showed up,” Tony told him, crossing his arms.

“What are you talking about? You sent me a letter inviting me to move in,” Steve frowned. To Darcy’s horror, he pulled the folded letter out of his pocket.

(She was the only one close enough to hear Bruce mutter “oh god” to himself, and she took an unnoticed step away from him- just in case.)

“I didn’t write you a letter. I don’t… that’s so old fashioned, who even does that anymore?” Tony raised an eyebrow and ignored the offered letter. “Someone is trolling you, Cap.”

“No, that’s not… that’s not what’s happening,” Darcy admitted. “I invited him. But I knew he wouldn’t accept it coming from me, so I signed Tony’s name. It just seemed wrong that everyone was moving in but him.”

“You don’t get to make that call, Lewis,” Tony pointed out. “And we’ll have words about you signing my name.”

“Would you rather sign your own paperwork from now on?” She grinned at his horrified look. “Then I think we’re good as far as the name thing goes.”

“Point,” Tony agreed. “And Rogers, I’m not kicking you out.” The ‘yet’ was unspoken but obvious. Steve still looked extremely uncomfortable, but he only nodded and went back to cooking for everyone. Darcy let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. Everything was going to be fine.

Tony, Bruce, and Jane were a force to be reckoned with. Darcy was kept on her toes in trying to make them eat or drink things that didn’t consist of caffeine and sugar. She usually managed to make them eat at least two healthy meals a day, and she’d managed to institute a mandatory day off in her second week of the job. Sleeping was a different story.

Darcy spent most of her nights in her own apartment, but she learned quickly that Tony liked to sneak down to the labs after she’d sent them all to bed. No amount of locking him out would actually _keep_ him out, because JARVIS was a traitor who would let him back in unless he’d been awake for more than twenty-four hours. She had no trouble with Bruce or Jane once she got them back to their rooms.

After her second time of catching Tony back in the lab after getting Jane to bed, she started enlisting help from an Avenger to ensure that Tony actually went to bed. Her first choice was Steve, of course. The conversation it took to get him to agree was awkward, especially since he’d been avoiding her ever since he’d found out she was behind the letter.

“Steve! I really need your help,” she called as the elevator opened. She’d had JARVIS take her directly to Steve’s floor so he couldn’t avoid her. He looked completely resigned as he walked over to her.

“How can I help, Ms. Lewis?” He asked. (She can officially confirm that his disapproving face is as bad as you might expect. She wanted to be swallowed by the earth.)

“Call me Darcy,” she told him softly. “Look, I’m really sorry about the lying thing. I know it wasn’t right, but Tony… he has a hard time. He wanted to invite you, but he’d already screwed up with you so badly that he didn’t think you’d want to hear from him. I knew you weren’t that kind of person, so I sent the letter in the hopes that you guys could resolve things. You’re both good people, just in different ways.”

“You’re a good person, too, Darcy,” Steve told her after a solid minute of silence. She grinned at him, and he smiled back happily. “What did you need?”

“Oh yeah! JARVIS is decidedly not a good person, and I need someone who can help me make Tony sleep at night,” she said in a rush. Steve just kind of stared at her blankly, and she sighed. “At ten every night, I shut down the equipment and walk all three scientists to bed. Bruce and Jane are great, but JARVIS lets Tony sneak back down to the lab. I was hoping you might guard the elevator while I’m with Bruce and Jane, to make sure he can’t do that.”

“You really think I’m the person for the job?” Steve asked, his doubt obvious. “Tony doesn’t like me.”

“But he respects you as a leader. And that means he will turn around and go back to bed if you tell him to. You just have to be stern. Please?” Darcy batted her eyelashes like her nana had taught her, knowing that no man could resist that. Steve caved immediately.

That night, she marched all three scientists into the elevator, winking at Steve when she saw he was already there. They stopped at Tony’s floor first, where he grumbled his way into his penthouse. Darcy shouted a firm “go to bed” after him before focusing her attention on the other two. She trusted Steve.

Bruce and Jane went to bed as easily as usual, and Darcy was happy to see that Steve was still on the elevator when she got back on herself. “He went for you?” She asked eagerly. He grinned.

“He was shocked to see me. I think he’s going to make another try, but I’m waiting him out. You’re right, he really does listen to me,” Steve told her. He sounded so surprised that she had to laugh.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but… you’re Captain America. You have this aura that just exudes command. I doubt very many people would refuse you anything. It’s what makes you a good leader. I’m not at all surprised that he listened to you,” she replied softly. “I can take care of his last attempt, if you want. It’s not your job.”

“No, it’s okay. I don’t need as much sleep, and I know you must be tired. Go to bed, Darcy,” he told her softly. She honest-to-god blushed as she nodded, and got off on her own floor to do just that.

It became a routine after that. Steve would be waiting in the elevator as she escorted the scientists to bed, he would send Tony back to bed when he tried to sneak off, and then he and Darcy would talk before he sent her off to bed. The talking ranged from what they’d done that day to what things he still needed to catch up on. They quickly became friends, much to Tony’s annoyance.

A month into this arrangement, Pepper called a lunch meeting with Darcy. They went to a diner that wasn’t far from the tower, and Pepper smiled at her entirely too much. Darcy made awkward small talk until the food arrived and Pepper got to the point of the meeting.

“I’ve noticed a very positive change in Tony, and he says that you’ve been working with Captain Rogers to make this happen,” Pepper stated casually.

“Oh, yes, Steve helps me make sure that Tony actually stays out of the lab after I shut everything down. We know how important sleep is when it comes to science,” Darcy agreed.

“I wanted to thank you and offer you a raise. Of course, it comes with a new duty. I doubt you’ll mind it all that much,” Pepper told her.

“A raise? For what?” Darcy asked incredulously.

“Agent Barton,” Pepper replied, frowning slightly. “With your success on the scientists, Natasha and I were hoping you might be able to help him. He spends his time in the lower level gym, and he rarely sleeps. We were hoping you might be able to enforce the same bed routine with him.”

“Oh,” Darcy said softly. “Well, I do love a challenge. I can certainly try to help him the same way I help them. I like taking care of people. It sounds like he needs someone like that.”

“Thank you, Ms. Lewis,” Pepper told her, grinning in relief. It wouldn’t be easy, but Darcy would be happy to help anyone who really needed her. She was slowly finding a family here. 


End file.
